Monday, January 31, 2011

Ciao for now....!

GUYS... I'M GONE!! Hong Kong and Macau. But please don't abandon this space and miss me lots! Back next sunday. Ciao for now.... ****************This appeared in Bombay Times today....

Dil Toh Kachcha Hai Ji….

Last week’s IT raids established how star struck even those hard boiled IT guys really are! Look at the juicy tidbits they put out in the press…. the one about Shahid answering Priyanka’s door bell, for example. If these chaps imagined all of India would go ‘Haaawww! What was Shahid (clad in boxers) doing in Priyanka’s home at the crack of dawn?” they must have been sorely disappointed.Nothing of the sort happened. India has moved on, buddies. We are pretty shock proof and totally cool about such things these days. And in any case, it’s better to have a handsome, co-star around to greet an income tax raiding party than a hysterical maid or an aggressive pit bull. Of course, most of the early leaks ( how many flats, how much money, heaps of jewellery) have since been rubbished by the star’s lawyers. But those early revelations were pretty spicy. People were more interested in whether Shahid offered a cuppa to the IT guys, than the exact number of properties owned by Priyanka. As for the Katrina ki Kahani ( along with her jawaani), that was funnier still. According to reports she insisted on some sort of ‘immunity’ since she is a British citizen. Till somebody apparently pointed out to her that she may well be a British citizen, but she isn’t a diplomat!It is always a matter of amusement and concern who the IT guys pick for these raids.From as far back as I remember, our movie stars were their favourite targets. Not just that, these were always the most publicized raids with detailed reports of how the raiding parties went about their work systematically… almost sadistically. I guess they were\are just doing their job. But why target movie stars whose net worth is piddly compared to the net worth of our netas and assorted scamsters who never face a day of questioning or harassment…. till a major expose catches up with them. Today’s mega stars have an army of financial advisors to take them through our complicated and maddening tax structures. In the old days, they just stuffed mattresses with hard cash and slept on their money. A later report about the recent raids talked about a contraption called the ‘Hero’ which reads computer files. Let’s see what this smart Hero comes up with .But as of now, the IT guys must be feeling pretty sheepish since they seemed to have got ‘illey’ out of this outing.Even so, the public’s sympathy is with the stars – at least these people entertain us – what do those other fat cats do but plunder and loot? Why not go after the real culprits and leave our sitarey alone? We are willing to condone a few financial lapses here and there in the spirit of saat khoon maaf. *************It was a toss up between watching ‘Burlesque’ and ‘Dil to Bachcha hi Hai.” You’d think the choice was pretty obvious – right? Well, I nearly bought tickets for the latter… and am congratulating myself for picking ‘Burlesque’ which was scintillating all the way. Being a huge fan of Cher, I take my chances with any film that features her. In this one, she is perfectly, almost heart breakingly cast as the feisty owner of a Burlesque Lounge Bar on Sunset Boulevard. Cher looks botoxed beyond belief… waxen… mummified. But she’s Cher – and she’s gorgeous. The rollicking dance routines featuring Christina Aguilera belting out classics ( ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’) along with the raunchy, sexy title track, leave you gasping for more. As the tag line goes – ‘It takes a legend (Cher) to make a star ( Christina)’. ‘Burlesque’ is no ‘Chicago’, but I preferred it to ‘Moulin Rouge’ – so strike me dead. ‘….Rouge’ had Nicole… but this one has the priceless Cher.No, it’s definitely not “The last of her.” My dil is very, very kachcha ji!

I don't buy the point that these film stars should be spared as compared to the netas, just because they at least entertain us! Agreed, that the babus should be grilled too. But that does not mean these 'stars' shud be spared at all. They entertain us, but we pay to get entertained! They get paid heavily and backing off from their Income tax duty should be as equally punishable as to anyone else. They are the favourite targets, agreed! And that is why they should play it safe and do their duty. Imagine if everyone in this country starts paying their income tax honestly, the rates would come down and all would be happy! It is just a few who perform this duty and have to bear the burden. And about mentioning Shahid opening the door, that is not amusing at all, as whatever these filmy people do, becomes news or part of any other news story. Even if they yawn at an occasion, or have a bad hair day or if their figure changes even by an inch to what they eat when they sleep or with whom for that matter, media flashes it all, frankly and sometimes shamelessly too. If you read my post Ridiculously Casual, you would know what I am talking about. In the end, any publicity is good publicity even if they would express their anguish against unfolding of such personal diaries. I have nothing against the film world or the media or anyone. But their stardom should not become a shield for not doing their duties.

Yes;I totally agree with other reader's comments that these so-called stars should not be spared at all,from income-tax net.We have had enough of stars, their gossips, nakhras, parties ... and so on.It seems everything under the sun comes under d ambit of film-stars. In Mumbai ; for any charity event, school/college function, sports event , diplomatic functions & lastly the neta's political campaign ; we have Bollywood stars. Why? r they superior 2 others? What do de understand about politics , Diplomacy, external affairs, sports , science , Maths or economics. What is their intelligentsia level? Just because their looks r beautiful & attractive ; can de be fitted anywhere? I am not against film-stars but d way public goes crazy chasing after them is amusing. I think we need 2 curb all this as it sends wrong signals in teenagers' minds.

Well, as far as I could see, your emphasis wasn't on shielding the bollywood brigade but to point the irony in the very process of IT raids. The fact that both IT department and media are bothered about generating gossips than doing the ethical duty. The netas don't carry the charisma and the glamour (a few exceptions apart) and thus they don't deserve the joy ride. I guess we have reached this level of acceptance in our minds that we don't really bother any more.Anyways, the above comment by 'Appu' for you is really sweet. :)

listen manu lifespan of stardom is so short nowadays that they deserve to make as much money as they can while the sun is shining otherwise they will suffer the same fate as a k hangal so in that sense shobha is right when she says that the IT dept should be liberal with the stars

listen manu lifespan of stardom is so short nowadays that they deserve to make as much money as they can while the sun is shining otherwise they will suffer the same fate as a k hangal so in that sense shobha is right when she says that the IT dept should be liberal with the stars

This is the Nth time I am saying this and it seems no one is really listening including Shobhaa. But I ain't goin' to stop. Listen again Guys n Gals n Shobhaa, we are doing far less than what we should be doing for our great STARS and CRICKETERS. Don't they help us in our times of pain/hardships n troubles. Answer this - You read in a newspaper one day (everyday I mean) that 100 people die of cold, 2-3 minor/major girls were raped, 4-5 houses were burgled, 4-5 people were murdered and 10000 crores of money was lost in Scams on that day. How do you feel. Not very cheerful I guess. But what do you do. Rather What can you do? Well by the end of Midday things start to dilute but you can't go off to sleep peacefully. Can you? So What do you do? Well no points for guessing but it ought to be Movies or Cricket to the resue. Nothing better than being engrossing yourself in a game of War- Cricket. Movies is Option 2. What happens after you've seen them. You feel fresh as a daisy. In case you still feel dizzy about the morning's news take back to back tickets. Now you know what I was saying. So guys n Gals lets pledge ourselves that we won't rest untill we have created at least 30 Lakh IPL Teams (minimum 1 from every village) and ensure at least 1 Lakh movies are realesed every week. Nothing less will take our country through. God Bless us all if we don't achieve our goals. So are you with me GUYS n GALS.

burleque: "A literary or dramatic work that ridicules a subject either by presenting a solemn subject in an undignified style or an inconsequential subject in a dignified style"

ok, mz de. if this is what cher delivered, then we can forget christina's plump legs stomping away. i thought that i would not mention cher's inimitable style of dialogue delivery (sounds as if she is speaking thru a rolled up newspaper) or that she has done her cosmetic surgeon proud. oh no! i have mentioned these already!

A truly motivational and life changing bookThis book is really a good book which shows us right path. but i readone more book named "ONE BOOK FOR LIFE SUCCESS" which is trulymotivational and life changing . .The writer has described in Plain English with lot of examples which is easy to understand...For MorePlease watch the videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biORjS8ngv0